@postaday 223; #postaday2011.
Sometimes I have to clear the decks before I can pop off my blog entry. Today was one of those days.
Last night we went to dinner at Duc’s Bistro, on Maunakea Street in Honolulu. We used to live right there, on the edge of Chinatown, in Honolulu Tower, a shiny glass high-rise condominium that was an interesting blend of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, none of which were perfectly square. It was interesting living for 10 years in a building that was mostly curves and odd angles. It was challenging for carpet layers. Now my sister-in-law and her husband live there. They sold their one-bedroom unit on a higher floor and bought our two-bedroom unit on the seventh floor. It was time or us to move into a bigger place. When I was eight-months pregnant with Charlotte, 20-month-old Sophie and I packed the boxes while John was at work, and he would then take them out to Hawaii Kai.
Honolulu’s Chinatown is an earnest mix of ambition and deprivation. When I first moved to Hawaii back in 1981, it was quite seedy and the clubs and clientele creepy. When we lived in Honolulu Tower from 1991 through 2001, we didn’t venture out much on foot at night. From the seventh floor, it was easy to see the crimes that occurred on the street.
Last night the family met at Duc’s Bistro for dinner to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday. We had a great time and the food was great. Charlotte had Saigon steak, Wagyu steak done rare with crisp slivers of garlic. Also on the table was lamb curry, kafir chicken, fish curry, vegetable sides and safron rice. We went to town on the appetizers: foie gras, crab cakes, spring rolls, and summer rolls. We wrapped up with decadent flourless chocolate cake, ginger cheesecake, ginger soda, lemon sorbet, walnut-ginger torte, and creme brulee. Did I mention ginger?
It is always so nice to get together with the family. Happiness and gratitude envelopes us. We are blessed.
Lavagal 